Heat exchanger

Abstract

A plate-fin heat exchanger for transferring heat from hot low-pressure fluid to cold high-pressure fluid may include a plurality of adjacent heat exchange modules, each having a plurality of plates and fins that define hot fluid flow paths and cold fluid flow paths. A first entry manifold delivers hot fluid to each of the hot fluid flow paths and a second entry manifold delivers cold fluid to each of the cold fluid flow paths. A first exit manifold is provided for receiving hot fluid from each of the hot fluid flow paths and a second exit manifold is provided for receiving cold fluid from each of the cold fluid flow paths. The first entry manifold includes two inlets through which hot fluid can enter the heat exchanger, and the first exit manifold includes two outlets through which the hot fluid can exit the heat exchanger.

1 . A plate-fin heat exchanger for transferring heat from a hot low pressure fluid to a cold high pressure fluid, the heat exchanger comprising:
 a plurality of adjacent heat exchange modules, each heat exchange module comprising a plurality of plates and fins that define a plurality of hot fluid flow paths and a plurality of cold fluid flow paths;   a first entry manifold for delivering hot fluid to each of the plurality of the hot fluid flow paths and a second entry manifold for delivering cold fluid to each of the plurality of cold fluid flow paths;   a first exit manifold for receiving hot fluid from each of the plurality of hot fluid flow paths and a second exit manifold for receiving cold fluid from each of the plurality of cold fluid flow paths;   wherein the first entry manifold comprises two inlets through which hot fluid can enter the heat exchanger and the first exit manifold comprises two outlets through which the hot fluid can exit the heat exchanger.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchange modules are adjacently stacked and arranged such that the axial length of the heat exchanger is at least twice the height of the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein each manifold extends from one axial end of the heat exchanger to the opposite axial end of the each exchanger so as to connect to each of the corresponding plurality of hot or cold fluid flow paths. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein one inlet is at an axial end of the first entry manifold and the other inlet is at the opposite axial end of the first entry manifold. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein one outlet is at an axial end of the first exit manifold and the other outlet is at the opposite axial end of the first exit manifold. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the second entry manifold comprises a single inlet through which cold fluid can enter the second entry manifold and the second exit manifold comprises a single outlet through which the cold fluid can exit the second exit manifold. 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 6 , wherein the inlet of the second entry manifold and the outlet of the second exit manifold are provided on the same axial end of the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the cross sectional area of the second inlet manifold and/or the second outlet manifold is larger than the cross sectional area of the first inlet manifold and/or the first outlet manifold. 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the axial length of the heat exchanger is at least four times the width of the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein each entry and exit manifold is accommodated partially within a region defined by the modules and extends partially outside a region defined by the modules. 
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the entry and exit manifolds define a cylindrical tube. 
     
     
         12 . The use of the heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the hot low pressure fluid is liquid sodium and the cold high pressure fluid is nitrogen gas. 
     
     
         13 . A nuclear reactor plant comprising the heat exchanger according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . The nuclear reactor plant according to  claim 13 , wherein the nuclear reactor plant is a sodium fast reactor plant. 
     
     
         15 . A plate-fin heat exchanger for transferring heat from a hot low pressure fluid to a cold high pressure fluid, the heat exchanger comprising:
 a plurality of adjacent heat exchange modules, each heat exchange module comprising a plurality of plates and fins that define a plurality of hot fluid flow paths and a plurality of cold fluid flow paths;   a first entry manifold for delivering hot fluid to each of the plurality of the hot fluid flow paths and a second entry manifold for delivering cold fluid to each of the plurality of cold fluid flow paths;   a first exit manifold for receiving hot fluid from each of the plurality of hot fluid flow paths and a second exit manifold for receiving cold fluid from each of the plurality of cold fluid flow paths;   wherein the heat exchange modules are adjacently stacked and arranged such that the axial length of the heat exchanger is at least twice the height of the heat exchanger.   
     
     
         16 . A plate-fin heat exchanger for transferring heat from a hot low pressure fluid to a cold high pressure fluid, the heat exchanger comprising:
 a plurality of adjacent heat exchange modules, each heat exchange module comprising a plurality of plates and fins that define a plurality of hot fluid flow paths and a plurality of cold fluid flow paths;   a first entry manifold for delivering hot fluid to each of the plurality of the hot fluid flow paths and a second entry manifold for delivering cold fluid to each of the plurality of cold fluid flow paths;   a first exit manifold for receiving hot fluid from each of the plurality of hot fluid flow paths and a second exit manifold for receiving cold fluid from each of the plurality of cold fluid flow paths;   wherein the modules comprise a recess in each corner thereof for partially accommodating one of the manifolds, such that a portion of each manifold is accommodated within a region defined by the modules and a portion of each manifold is outside a region defined by the modules.